Memories of Drum Raceway

DRUM RACEWAY

Drum Road - Allentown, NY

Founded for Auto Racing, 1971

Any information of Drum Raceway History that can be shared will be appreciated. Photos & Clippings especially wanted.

Special Request

Rumor has it that individuals are believed to have taken movies of race activities at Drum Raceway during the racing years.....please share them if you have them.

Please contact either Bet Layfield or myself, Ron Taylor and we will tell you how to get in touch to share them.

Also, photos of Drum Raceway have been promised by many, but, not received. Please send me any photos you may have that we can share on these page. Ron Taylor

Above, what Drum Raceway looks like in 2006...digital map view, Microsoft; Researched & submitted by Steve Riehle.

STEVE RIEHLE, originally from friendship NY-but, now lives in Duke Center, PA, submitted the clips below and stated them from 1974/75 seasons:

Photo (above) & Clipping (below) from Collection of Lewis Swarthout, former Allentown/Wellsville Resident...Submitted by his daughter, Cindy McCraine of Florida

2/7/10: From David Swarthout comes the following: "Hi, My name is Dave Swarthout, the driver of the Plymouth #74 in the picture with starter John Powell. Lewis Swarthout is my dad. I have been in Arkansas for the last 20 some years..... The race had to have been in 1974.That was when I started driving late models belonging to John Burgess from

Genesee Pa. I lived in Allentown so drum was close for me. We also ran at Bradford ,some at Dundee Fair grounds and also Woodhull. Speed is an addicting thing that is hard to give up. Still drag race at 60 and started redoing 600 minisprint yesterday. I have a couple of dwarf cars that I have licensed and insured and drive them on the street. Guess you can't outgrow the need for speed (lol)."

Skip (Ken Jr.) & Skeet (Ken III) McCracken at

Drum Raceway Under Starter's Stand

Blue and white Car #55 owned and driven by

Skip McCracken of Wellsville, NY. In 1971.

I raced from 1971 - 1974

1966 Pontiac GTO, Pontiac 421

Engine. Built mostly by driver/owner with

Help from Paul Leonard, Bob Johnson and,

Scott Wilcox. Driven at both Drum Raceway in

Allentown, NY and Woodhull Raceway in

Woodhull, NY.

This is the car built by my son and myself,

Black open-wheeled modified, #56, Chevy 355

730 hp engine owned and driven by Skeet (Ken III)

McCracken of Titusville, FL. He races at Orlando

Speedworld in Orlando, FL and in New Smyrna

Speedworld in New Smyrna, FL. Both high bank

Blacktop. Another generation of McCrackens is

About to learn how to drive this modified also.

(Ken McCracken)